File Management: How to Backup and Restore Files

How to Backup and Restore Files using FTP

Why should I back up and restore files?

Backing up your website on a regular basis ensures that if the unexpected happens, you are prepared. A backup of your files and data makes it so that you don’t have to recreate your site from scratch. You save both time and money.

Saving a backup to your personal computer

1. Connect to your account using FTP (see tutorials).
2. Download your file(s).

Restoring a backup from your personal computer

1. Connect to your account using FTP (see tutorials).
2. Upload your file(s).

How to Backup Files within the Account Manager

The Account Manager gives you access to our automatic backups of your website files. Because you cannot store an infinite number of backups of your website files, older backups are regularly replaced with newer backups. If you are interested in keeping older backups, you can download a zip archive onto your personal computer by following these steps:

1. Log in to your Account Manager
2. Click Hosting on the left-hand menu.

   

3. If you have a single hosting plan in your account, the hosting management page will be displayed.
   
   If you have multiple hosting plans in your account, locate the hosting plan where your website is being hosted, then click the Manage button.

   

4. Under the Configurations section, click Website Backups. If you do not see this icon under this section, click Show All.

   

5. Under the Daily Snapshot section, you will find the daily backups created in your account, including the last 7 days. Locate the date of the backup you would like to download, then click the Download link.

   

6. A notification will appear stating that there is a 15-minute processing delay. Please give it a few minutes to process your backup download request.

   

7. After a few minutes, another notification will appear with a link that you can click to download your backup. Click the provided link to initiate the downloading process.

   

8. A .tar.gz file will be downloaded to your computer.

How to Restore Files within the Account Manager

Use the following steps to restore an automatic backup.

1. Log in to your Account Manager
2. Click Hosting on the left-hand menu.

   

3. If you have a single hosting plan in your account, the hosting management page will be displayed.
   
   If you have multiple hosting plans in your account, locate the hosting plan where your website is being hosted, then click the Manage button.

   

4. If you're on a WordPress hosting plan, follow these steps:
   1. Click Backups under the Security section.

      

   2. Select the date of backup you want to restore from the dropdown menu under Manage.
   3. Click the Restore button to initiate the process.

      

   4. A warning pop-up will appear requesting that you confirm the restoration. Click Continue » to proceed.

      

   5. A notification will appear stating that there is a 15-minute processing delay before the restore is complete. Please give it a few minutes to process your restore request.

      

   If you're on a Basic, Plus, or Premium hosting plan, follow these steps:

   1. Under the Configurations section, click Website Backups. If you do not see this icon under this section, click Show All.

      

   2. You will find available backups under the Daily Snapshot section. Locate the date of backup you want to restore, then click the Restore to Snapshot link.

      

   3. A warning pop-up will appear, stating that the restore process will overwrite your current website files. Click Continue » to proceed.

      

   4. A notification will appear stating that there is a 15-minute processing delay. Please give it a few minutes to process your backup restore request.

How to View the Backup Restore and Download History

1. Log in to your Account Manager
2. Click Hosting on the left-hand menu.

   

3. If you have a single hosting plan in your account, the hosting management page will be displayed.
   
   If you have multiple hosting plans in your account, locate the hosting plan where your website is being hosted, then click the Manage button.

   

4. Under the Configurations section, click Website Backups. If you do not see this icon under this section, click Show All.
   
5. Under the Daily Snapshot section, click the View History Record » link.
   
6. A list of Restoration, Download, and OnDemain Backups will be displayed with the time and date it was requested.